An alloy is a metallic material made by combining two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal.
The components may form a solid solution, an intermetallic compound, or a mixture of different solid phases.
Most alloys are prepared by melting the constituents together, mixing them uniformly and allowing the mixture to solidify.
An alloy may be homogeneous or heterogeneous, depending on its composition and microstructure.
Alloys generally retain metallic properties such as lustre, conductivity and strength, but their properties differ from those of the individual constituents.